Over 170 illegal campsites in Oslo last year

Sunday, May, 20 2018

Over 170 illegal campsites were registered in Oslo last year.The municipality is now patrolling to prevent unauthorised persons from entering the homeless’ places.

“The biggest challenge is the affect it has on nature,” said Helene Berger, acting department director for urban spaces and green spaces in the City Environment, to Aftenposten newspaper.

Last year, according to the newspaper, more than 90 campers were registered in woodland, and 80 in construction zones.In addition, more than 200 ‘overnights’ were reported in the woods.Berger showed that the sleeping places are often left with food packets and other waste littered around.

On questions from Aftenposten about the challenges associated with homeless people, Berger said that they are there all the time.

“Now we have operating patrols out every day to observe and clean.

There are guards in the city center, and in the Frogner Park. Our task is to treat the symptoms,” Berger told the newspaper.

She says the measures work, and that the City Environment had almost not needed the police in 2017, but it is often difficult to communicate with the homeless people.

‘’Many can not read and write. They do not want contact with public authorities. Then it’s important that the agencies and organizations that are in contact with them talk together.’’